Aname distorta sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7AEAEDB0-DFEB-44E8-806D-DE2B075C1116

Figs 14, 110

Diagnosis

Males of A. distorta sp. nov. can be distinguished from all species for which males are known by a moderate to large body size (carapace length> 4.0 mm) and the presence of an extremely long embolus (embolus length / bulb length> 4) (Fig. 110J–M).

Females of A. distorta sp. nov. are unknown.

Etymology

The specific epithet ‘ distorta ’ is a Latin adjective meaning ‘twisted’ or ‘distorted’, in reference to both the deformed leg I and pedipalp of the holotype and only known specimen of the species, and to the unusually long embolus of the species.

Type material

Holotype

AUSTRALIA – Queensland • ♂; Drummond Range, summit; 23°32′ S, 147°18′ E; 920 m a.s.l.; 18 Dec. 2000 – 27 Mar. 2001; D.J. Cook and G.B. Monteith leg.; pitfall trap, open forest; QMB S63018.

Description

Male (holotype, QMB S63018)

GENERAL (Fig. 110A–Q). Body length 21.82, in good condition, colour presumably faded due to preservation.

DORSAL PROSOMA (Fig. 110A, E–F). Carapace length 7.34, width 6.43, length/width 1.14, clypeus to fovea length/carapace length 0.72, caput width/carapace width 0.64, carapace dark red-brown, reflective setae present, light on caput, light on thorax, fovea procurved, fovea width/carapace length 0.16 (Fig. 110A, F); chelicerae dark red-brown, rastellum absent or inconspicuous, chelicerae length/carapace length 0.75 (Fig. 110A); eye group rectangular, width/length 1.95, eye tubercle present (Fig. 110E).

ABDOMEN (Fig. 110B, D). Abdomen length 8.12, grey, dorsal pattern absent, with consistent cover of short setae.

VENTRAL PROSOMA (Fig. 110C, G–I). Labium cuspules absent (Fig. 110H); maxillae heel distinct, cuspules present, count= about 160, extending posteriorly onto heel, extending laterally about 25% of maxillae length (Fig. 110C, I); coxae cuspules absent, thorn-like setae on prolateral face present (Fig. 110C, I); sternum length/width 1.23, many setae rubbed off, row of longer setae around posterior edges (Fig. 110G–H); posterior sigilla ovoid, central sternum to posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.25, posterior sigilla length/sternum length 0.14 (Fig. 110G–H); other sigilla small, round and lateral (Fig. 110G–H).

LEG I (Fig. 110N–Q). Leg I red-brown, lighter on distal metatarsus and tarsus, femur length 6.30, patella length 4.30, tibia length 4.95, metatarsus length 4.58, tarsus length 3.14, total length 23.27, leg I length/ carapace length 3.17 (Fig. 110N–O); scopulae on distal metatarsus and tarsus (Fig. 110N–O); spine count Fe D 1, Fe PL 1, Pa PL 2, Ti PL 0, Ti RL 0, Me PL 0, Me RL 0, Ta 0 (Fig. 110N–O); tibia length/width [TIL/TID] 3.71, even width along length, spur present, intermediate triangular/digitiform, knuckle present, megaspine angled at 21 degrees, length to distal face of spur/tibia length [TIS/TIL] 0.43, spur height/tibia width [TISH/TID] 0.62, megaspine length/tibia length 0.27 (Fig. 110N–P); metatarsus slightly sinuous, proximal excavation present, excavation concave with pronounced heel, heel rounded, excavation length/metatarsus length [MIPEL/MIL] 0.41, metatarsus length/width [MIL/ MID] 3.98 (Fig. 110N–O, Q).

PEDIPALP (Fig. 110J–M). Tibia length 3.78, width 1.14, length/width [PTL/PTD] 3.31, asetose depression present, depression length/palp tibia length [PDL/PTL] 0.79, retrolateral face with consistent covering of light setae, ventral face with one elongate bristle-like seta below depression, prolateral face with two disto-ventral spines, disto-medial spine absent (Fig. 110J–K); patella prolateral face with 2 spines (Fig. 110J–K); cymbium with scopulae present distally (Fig. 110J–K); copulatory organ total length 3.32, length/palp tibia length 0.88 (Fig. 110L–M); bulb length/width 0.84 (Fig. 110L–M); embolus demarcated and roughly perpendicular to bulb, attenuate, tapering and curving relatively evenly to point, one strong bend, at about 0.6 of length, slight bend before tip, width at base/bulb width 0.28, embolus length/bulb length 4.64 (Fig. 110L–M).

Distribution and natural history

Aname distorta sp. nov. occurs in central Queensland, in the Brigalow Belt North bioregion, where it is known from one location on the Drummond Range, west of Emerald (Fig. 14). The form of burrows constructed by spiders of this species is unknown.